Electric-lamp socket and switch



llNrrnn TATES ATENT @FFlCEQ DAVID ll. CUNNINGHAM, OF ELIZABETH, NE\VJERSEY.

ELECTRIC-LAMP SOCKET AND SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,117, dated June 16,1885.

'Application filed November-14, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it 77mg concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID H. CUNNING- HAM, of Elizabeth, in the countyof Union and State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and usefulImprovement in Electric-Lamp Sockets and Switches, of which thefollowing is aspecification, reference being had to the annexed drawing,forming a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical transversesection of a lamp-socket embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the lower half of the socket. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the switch.Fig. 4 is a socket without an external metal casing. Figs. 5 and (3represent different forms ofelectrical connections, and Fig. 7 shows theapplication of my improved switch to a lampbracket.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the differentfigures of the drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive,easily-operated, and efficient lamp-socket and switch for incandescentelectric lamps.

My invention consists in an insulating-socket formed of two partsonepart to be secured to the bracket or other support of the lamp, andcontaining one half of the electrical conncctor and the switch, theother half being adapted to hold the lamp and carry the other half ofthe electrical connector.

My invention also consists in an electric switch formed of a squareprism of insulating material mounted 011 a spindle, extending throughthe socket and carrying an insulatingwedge, and two or morecontact-springs, touching the sides of the prism, and capable of beingseparated by the insulating-wedge carried by the prism when the prism isturned in either direction.

It also consists in spring-connectors adapted to form an electricalconnection between the conductors of the lamp-support and those of thelamp and securely hold the two parts of socket together.

The socket A is formed of two parts, a I), which are fitted to eachother, and adapted to be held in proper relation to each other by thespring-connectors or by a screw-threaded collar, as shown in Fig. 1, orby friction of one part on the other, as in the case of the socket shownin Fig. 4c.

In the socket shown in Fig. 1, the part a consists of a metallic cuphaving an internallythreaded collar, 0, capable of screwing on thelamp-support. In the bottom of the part a is secured a ring, (I, ofinsulating material, either by casting the metal of which the cup isformed around the ring, or in any other practical and convenient way. Tothe ring (1, at diametrically opposite points, are secured two springclips or connectors, e e, having concaved inner faces, and in the part bof the socket are secured, at diametrically-opposite points, twospherical-headed screws, ff, electrically connected withthelamp-terminals, and adapted to be received between the springarms ofthe clips 6 e. The screws ff being connected with the terminals of thelamp B, when the part b of the lampsocket is placed in position for use,the screws f f will be received between the spring-arms of the clips 0c, forming an electrical connection between the lamp and the said clips.To the insulating-ring d are secured two springs, g g, which extendalong the face of the insulatingring, and are bent upward and providedwith enlarged ends h h, which are adapted to form an electric contactbetween their free ends, and are beveled at their extremities alongtheir contact-surfaces, to receive a double wedge-shapedinsulating-piece, 73, carried by an insulatinginism, j, fixed to orformed integrally with a spindle, k, extending through the part a of thelamp-socket. The spindle k is provided with a handle or thumb-piece, Z,by which it may be turned. The spring 9 is connected with one of thewires extending through the lamp-support and forming a part of thelamp-circuit, and the spring 5/ is connected with the clip a, and theclip 6 is connected with the other wire, forming one of the conductorsleading to the lamp. \Vhen the prism j isturned so as to introduce thedouble wedge 73 between the ends it h of the springs g 5 the springs areseparated and the electric circuit is broken at that point, theinsulating double wedge preventing the formation of an are or thepassage of the current. The springs 9 not only act as conductors for theeurrent,but

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. L. EGKLES.

RIDING SADDLE. No. 820,118. Patented June 16, 1885.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 604w. BY

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Phnlo-Lilhognphar, Walhingtun. D. c.

